by KELLY BURNS, Editor, and KIERAN ROCK, Editor

On Sept. 20, 2015, in an email to the Manhattan College community, Public Safety released the details of an attempted robbery in the Leo Building.

The incident, which took place in stair case B, involved an MC student and a 6’1” male, of dark complexion, 35-40 years old, who was “highly intoxicated and attempted to enter a non college meeting,” according to the email from Public Safety.

Recently, Public Safety has taken steps towards new security measures in the Leo Building.

“The talk about adding access controls was brought up a year ago and prior to this incident that just happened,” Juan Cerezo, director of Public Safety, said.

Currently, Public Safety along with Charles Lippolis, who is in charge of the ID office, are working with vendors to determine the pricing and logistics of a new swiping system in Leo.

“It will be the same type of system we have in the residence halls,” Cerezo said. “We are doing the doors that are usually used by the students. The door at the north end by Gaelic Park, that’s the one that is mostly used by the students coming from Kelly Commons.”

“Right now we had a company that did a walk through,” Cerezo said. “We are now in a position to invite a second vendor to compare pricing.”

“The first company that came in is called M Zion Security. We didn’t get the official quote back yet from them,” Lippolis said.

“The other company coming next week is Abway. It will probably take two to three weeks to decide on the vendor because it’s rather extensive work to secure the entire perimeter,” he said.

“First we have to get the bids and then we determine which one to go with. Once that’s done then we can start working,” Cerezo said.

“The early part of next year the work should definitely get started,” Lippolis said.

Of the current security in Leo, Cerezo said that the building is well covered.

“We have a lot of cameras in that building. The parking lot is very well covered with the cameras we have in place and we haven’t had any incidents in the parking lot,” he said.

“We do vertical patrols in the building and the building is also alarmed.”

Cerezo also asks for MC students using the Leo Building to aid in the security process.

“We encourage everybody to help us with the security of the building. Not to hold doors open for people they don’t know, and also not to prop the door open. Not only is it a fire violation but its also a security problem,” Cerezo said.

Public Safety has also made some changes to their patrols in response to students concerns.

“I know a lot of students are concerned about going from Leo to the Waldo path,” Cerezo said. “So he does patrol that area. It was mentioned to me yesterday and we reinforced it.”

One student who often uses the Leo Building is junior chemical engineering major George Schlinck.

“I honestly can’t think of any cons to that,” Schlinck said of the addition of the security measures proposed. “After the recent incident in Leo I feel like that’s kind of necessary. In fact, I was kind of confused that there wasn’t security in Leo at all in the first place,” he said.

Cerezo believes that students will get used to the new system when they are installed.

“It’s a matter of getting used to it. I think it will be well accepted,” he said. “Everyone is concerned about the security of that building, including the students.”